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Kate O’Brien house finally sold!

The former home of Limerick novelist, Kate O’Brien, has been sold for just over the €85,000 asking price. Can I get a hallelujah?!

As I outlined in a previous post, Boru House in Mulgrave Street deteriorated rapidly after a fire over two years ago. It was a target for anti-social behaviour and was in danger of being damaged further, or destroyed completely. City councillors, Limerick Civic Trust, Limerick Writers’ Centre and many others all appealed for its preservation. Now, hopefully, someone will take on that task and bring the house back to its former glory.

Though technically derelict, it still has many of its original period features (it was built in 1880). The “substantial detached two storey red bricked residential building” spans 3,000 square feet and has six bedrooms. Many civic uses have been suggested but it would also make a gorgeous home if restored.

I don’t know who the buyer is; he/she wasn’t named in The Sunday Times Home supplement item. Auctioneers de Courcy’s turned down an offer of €75,000 for the property in early December. Before property values crashed, the house and the parcel of land behind it were on sale for €1.4 million. The house was valued at €350,000 at the time—a far cry from €85,000.

The timing of the sale is impeccable because the 28th Kate O’Brien Weekend will take place next month, February 24-26. This year’s theme is ‘Tell it slant’ (from the Emily Dickinson poem,which starts “Tell all the Truth but tell it slant…”) All the events are on in the Belltable, including a music recital, lectures and discussions. The weekend doesn’t just focus on the author’s work but also on society and culture. This year’s speakers include Nobel prize-winner, Séamus Heaney; author, John Boyne; IrishTimes journalist, Frank McNally and sociologist, Dr Niamh Hourigan. A voluntary committee organises the whole weekend and it is always a stimulating, creative programme.

Kate O’Brien wrote novels such as The Ante Room, Mary Lavelle and The Land of Spices. The latter two were banned for references to homosexuality so she was considered an early feminist. She lived in Spain for a time and wrote a book about Theresa of Avila,among other subjects. Two Spanish towns have named streets in her honour.